5/24/2018 American Swedish Institute - LoveNorwayX :Installations by Ian Ward Garlant Gallery Guide

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The Construction of Love

Sculpture

2014

Ian Ward Garlant

This giant Norwegian flag integrates symbols, words,

and meaningful quotes from a range of cultures. Tibetan

inscriptions appear next to Chinese hexagrams. Nordic

runes bump up against Arabic calligraphy. Each language

is unique, but the words are created with strikingly similarlines. Universal themes of love and compassion come

together to form a collage of global truth.

Tui = Joy (I Ching)

The I Chingis an ancient Chinese text, originally used for

divinaon and now considered a book of wisdom. In the

I Ching, sixty-four hexagrams provide advice on everyday

challenges. Each hexagram consists of a combinaon of

six horizontal lines, either unbroken (yang) or split in half

(yin). This parcular hexagram means tui, or joy. Look

for it in the upper right quadrant of the ag.

Wahdah = Harmony (Kufic)

Kuc script is the earliest version of Arabic, and its geometric style diers from

the owing lines and curves recognizable as Arabic wring today. Because Kuc

script consists of straight lines and 90-degree angles, it was ideal for inscribingon metal coins or stone buildings.

This word, wahdah, means harmony in Kuc. Look for it in the lower right

quadrant of the ag.

Alu = Spirit (Nordic Runes)

Aluis oen translated as spirit, and

it appears frequently in runic texts

as a charm word designed to invokemagic. Alu has also been translated

as ale, perhaps referring to the

spiritual feeling that can accompany

intoxicaon. The English word spirit

shares this double meaning. Alu

appears sideways on the ag.

5/24/2018 American Swedish Institute - LoveNorwayX :Installations by Ian Ward Garlant Gallery Guide

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Ann ek r = I love you (Nordic Runes)

Je taime. Te amo. Ich liebe dich.

Every language has a version of this phrase. In Ancient Nordic

runes, it appears in poetry as Ann ek r.What does this

short and sweet phrase mean? Simply, I love you.

Can you ndAnn ek rin the ag? Where might you nd

other hidden inscripons of love?

Sheirab = Wisdom (Mongolian)

Looking at this Mongolian word, you can recognize

similaries among ancient scripts. The shapes andlines of this Mongolian text appear very similar to

the Tibetan and Kuc scripts; all rely on paerns of

straight lines and rectangles.

This parcular word, sheirab, means wisdom in

Mongolian. Although the word is wrien vercally, it

appears horizontally in this piece.

Tseina = Love (Horyig)

The wrien Tibetan language has remained largely

unchanged since the early 800s A.D. Horyig was a

type of seal script, meaning the symbols seen herewere used to seal ocial documents. The wordtseina

means love in Horyig text. Although its wrien

vercally, this word appears sideways across the top

of the ag in this piece.

The Construction of Love

Sculpture

2014

Ian Ward Garlant

Artist Ian Ward Garlant constructed this flag out of tough

yet lightweight boat foam, typically used to construct

lifeboats on Norwegian oil rigs. He meticulously carved

each word and symbol into foam panels and then adhered

those panels to a wooden grid, coating it all with a veneer

of silvery paint.

Use this gallery guide to explore The Construction of

Love. Search through the lines and zigzags. Seek out

meaning. What can you find?